PC as a source for high end audio / video?

jqp · « **on:** 8 Jan 2006, 03:19 am »

High end audio means your best "audiophile" system: "audiophile" speakers powered by amps with a preamp.

Video means your big, main household TV, not PC monitor or experimental setup.

If you do use a PC as a source, give details of PC cards as well as audio or video setup!

zybar · « **Reply #1 on:** 8 Jan 2006, 03:40 am »

I use a pc (old PIII 600Mhz) that feeds a modified Squeeze Box that sends a digital signal to a modified TacT 2.2x preamp.

George

srclose · « **Reply #2 on:** 8 Jan 2006, 06:44 am »

I built a quiet PC with ASUS K8N-E Deluxe motherboard and AMD 64 3Ghz CPU, using Foobar with Empirical Audio Turbo Off-Ramp to Empirical Audio modified dAck to SonicEuphoria preamp

WerTicus · « **Reply #3 on:** 8 Jan 2006, 08:23 am »

using a lynx l22 to run my nuforce amps, balanced.

EchiDna · « **Reply #4 on:** 8 Jan 2006, 09:23 am »

I'm "both"

use a dtv pci card as a tuner for free to air tv with time shifting and recording capability - display is a (now low end) sanyo z1 projector and I'll wait until 1080 native projectors become affordable to upgrade there...

audio source is an m-audio revolution co-ax digital out to a heavily modded art di/o (yeah back to what I was using a few years back) as I sold my lynx for more than I paid for it

this goes into my AKSA gear...

Val · « **Reply #5 on:** 8 Jan 2006, 01:55 pm »

I am convinced that PC Audio is the way to go, so I built a small and very quiet PC that serves as my regular PC in the bedroom and also as a remote music server for my wireless SB2-based audio system. I can't hear it from a couple of feet away, so I can leave it on all the time if I wish to:

Chenming MATX-118 | MSI RS480M2-IL | AMD Athlon 64 3500+@2,457 | Zalman 7000B-AlCu | Corsair XMS TWINX1024-3200C2V3 | Gigabyte GV-RX30128D | Samsung SP2014N 200GB IDE | Lite-On SOHW 1673S DVD±RW | PCKeyboard “buckling spring” Customizer 104 | Dell 1905FP

jermmd · « **Reply #6 on:** 8 Jan 2006, 02:09 pm »

Audio: PC server to Bolder modded SB3 to Tact for DAC and preamp.

Video: PC with Zoomplayer, FFDShow, ATI 9800pro with digital sound output.

I use a parasound pre/pro for movie sound processing and I have external amps.

mcgsxr · « **Reply #7 on:** 8 Jan 2006, 03:55 pm »

Audio - 2 year old Dell PC to stock SB3, direct to gainclone, to DIY Visaton b200 open baffles.

I will pursue some mods for the SB this year, it will be the single source for my system.

lcrim · « **Reply #8 on:** 9 Jan 2006, 07:19 pm »

At present just using PC audio into both my systems.
Using a three year old PIII @ 1GHZ + 512MB RAM w/ WiFi & USB 2.0 cards in the PCMCIA slots. Have a 300 Gig HDD in an USB 2.0 enclosure to use as my music storage. The laptop is around a corner and over a passthrough to the living room system. It can't be heard there. It is connected via USB to a slightly modded Creative Audigy 2 NX which converts Foobar 2K played music to SPDIF and from there via digital coax to a SN TubeDac+
This laptop also runs Slimserver to an SB3 in the bedroom which has a cheap but linear power supply and a digital coax to a SN Chibi Dac. The laptop has been dedicated and optimized for audio only.
I am a network engineer and did plan this for a bit so the cost and complexity are very manageable. The USB solution was more of a trial to get right than the SB which has been rock solid, but both results are just extraordinary. BTW, the Scott Nixon equipment is astonishingly good and at the price point is just a wonderful bargain. I did have access to a lot of older equipment which skews the cost factor somewhat. Still, I can't recommend PC audio highly enough, my results have been overwhelmingly positive.

EchiDna · « **Reply #9 on:** 10 Jan 2006, 12:19 am »

Quote from: lcrim

.... a digital coax to a SN Chibi Dac....

who makes this DAC?

that is some kind of name in Hokkien.... shall we say a crude name for the sensitive part in the lower half of the female anatomy?

Marbles · « **Reply #10 on:** 10 Jan 2006, 01:12 am »

Scott Nixon - he must be fluent in a lot of languages

JoshK · « **Reply #11 on:** 10 Jan 2006, 01:20 am »

audio now but HTPC is a definite on my near horizon.

davehg · « **Reply #12 on:** 10 Jan 2006, 06:16 am »

Glad I waited until the hardware got better:

Audio: BolderCable modified SB3 feeding Tri-Vista 21 DAC, feeding VAC Avatar SE, powering Merlin TSM-MM's and a REL Strata III.

SB3 owners really have to get the mods to enjoy true high end sound.

Folsom · « **Reply #13 on:** 10 Jan 2006, 07:47 am »

Well any one who believes PC audio is just a fad better be heavy into vintage audio....

I am a huge supporter of vinyl, I love it, no doupt about that. I also use my computer for most of my listening, even if I like vinyl more.

Dynaudio_Rules · « **Reply #14 on:** 27 Jan 2006, 01:13 pm »

Soyo Motherboard
3 Gigs of RAM
500 Giggs of HD - external
Pent 4HT 3.2G 800MHz - not overclocked
VIA Chipset - I use my on-board VIA Vinyl chip-set for audio
ATI AGP 256 graphic card - for PC and DVD playback via DVI out
RAID 0 config - 2 WD Raptor 74Gig hard drives
Creative Labs sound card - for gaming
Using EAC for ripping, Foobar as GUI

I play audio from my PC as a source which feeds my Anthem Pre2L pre-amp currently using Mullard NOS 6922's, Aragon 8008BB amp and Dynaudio speakers.

All my gear including my PC use Audio Quest NRG power cords, and Audio Quest King Cobra IC's.

My PC uses an Antec 500W fanless power supply, only one fan in my PC which is over the CPU

Hoots · « **Reply #15 on:** 31 Jan 2006, 06:37 am »

I use MCE2005 for dvr regular TV but Comcast for HDTV because I want more than OTA HDTV.

I use PC audio and my record player plus a few SACDs but rarely a CD player.

I have MEEDIO as player, REVO card w/ASIO, FLAC, DAC in Pre/pro, P1A w/SOCS.

pm314 · « **Reply #16 on:** 31 Jan 2006, 12:14 pm »

I have a SB3 hooked up to Odyssey mono Khartagos through a passive Etesian pre-amp and have Vandersteen speakers. I just moved my tuner (old Technics) and CDP from my rack and put them in the office with my PC (DIY, ever-changing). Now if I want to listen to FM or to Comcast digital music stations I use Winamp/Shoutcast to stream from my soundcard input directly to Slimserver running on the same PC. Its a little inconvenient but considering how much I listen to either since SB3, it was worth getting some space back in the audio rack. FYI, for any of you who are just moving into the PC world, welcome to a whole new world of endless tweaking

.

nickspicks · « **Reply #17 on:** 31 Jan 2006, 01:03 pm »

Mine is simple.

old Dell 933mhz system in my office w/a $25 Chainteck 24/96 digital card in it. 15' optical cable feeds my Sony STR-DA3000ES directly.

I controll it remotely via my laptop from anywhere in the house over the WiFi network. very simple.

what I need is a Monarchy Audio DIP 2496 near the PC so that its mega signal will drive that cable lenght and clean up jitter. then i'll be cooking w/butter.

but still, i'm happy as a clam with 1/2 a terrabite full of music at my disposal.

Jon L · « **Reply #18 on:** 31 Jan 2006, 04:08 pm »

I've been using:
"Quiet PC" w/ 320 Gig of hard drive
Lynx 2B with DIY analogue output jack/adapter mods

I also have Empirical Freeway USB/spdif converter with my DIY SLA battery PS(a must!), which I have used to audition many DAC's hooked up to my PC, looking for my "last" DAC that's worthy.

When I recently listened to the latest VRS audio server (which uses modded Lynx card), it sounded remarkably similar to my own audio PC! I'm sure VRS mods gives you more refinement, but the overall gestalt and feel of the music was surprisingly familiar, which has made me think that maybe I need to mod my Lynx card instead of buying a super duper DAC.

Then Steve has launced the new I2S Offramp/I2S DAC gizmo, which is very tempting, but that'll mean starting from scratch and buying new I2S Offramp and I2S DAC...

The new DDDac with USB/I2S board looks mighty yummy as well, and John Swenson is supposed to be working on I2S DAC, too.

So many great choices and so little time...

kfr01 · « **Reply #19 on:** 31 Jan 2006, 04:25 pm »

Using an m-audio sonica usb to spdif to a Perpetual Tech. P3A w/ CiAudio PSU. No mods yet on either side, but the pair sounds pretty good to me playing EAC+Flac files.

I was using Windows MCE with a Haupagge DVR card to replicate Tivo-like functionality, but decided to try it against the cable company's latest DVR offering... the cable company won. It never crashes, it has dual tuners, it is quieter, the software is full-featured, and the special they were running included HBO + Starz.

IMO the PC is still a pain in the ass solution for video.

Poll

PC as a source for high end audio / video?

PC as a source for high end audio / video?